Suicide Books

This is probably one of the best books that I've read anywhere that touches on the subject of a conspiracy murder. The plot is complex and convoluted, and absolutely brilliantly written. In this book Morse decides to pursue an unsolved mystery that is really out of his jurisdiction simply because he happened to stumble across it while on holiday. It fascinates him from the very beginning, and soon there is not just one body that turns up, but a number of bodies, all killed at various times. Morse knows they're connected, and he has to use his extreme intelligence to connect the crimes and determine who the murderer is. He does get there in the end, but in true Morse fashion, with quite a few missteps along the way. Wonderful book!

I don't see why this book gets so mediocre reviews?
It's certainly better then "Last bus..."

But I admit, maybe I'm being unfair; I did read this book in my mother-language (as appose to the others read in English) But even so, I got a different experience from this book, it wasn't as... routine and pattern-like, as some of the books are. This book was a bit (!) different, more action-packed, and touching
Together with "Way through the woods" it's the best book by Dexter (In my opinion).

Came across the audio version at the library and listened in the car. It was fun hearing Kevin Whately, the narrator, competently do his own Sgt. Lewis and Inspector Morse. Service/Dead is a complicated mystery, one that highlights the likelihood that some crimes require more than basic investigative skills. Morse's intuition is what makes him an intriguing detective, though sometimes his irascibility is hard to take. If only he'd show some appreciation to Lewis, a dedicated cop if ever there was one, though one lacking Morse's innate talents. This is one of Dexter's more complicated cases, but step by step the solution becomes clear He is certainly a skilled writer, more literate than most in the genre. Always satisfying.

This was my first trip into the world of Inspector Morse, and I am happy to say that it was well worth it. I can see how Morse has become one of the most beloved crime solvers in the genre.

There are plenty of plot twists and several suspects in this case, and you need to pay attention. But Dexter is a fine writer and although you may sometimes feel puzzled, you are never confused. The story moves along at a perfect pace and is brought skillfully to a satisfying conclusion.

It was a wonderful mystery novel and I am looking forward to reading about the further exploits of Inspector Morse.

...but not the best. Last Bus To Woodstock is the best Morse novel, and the later ones pale in comparison. I liked this, especially better than The Secret of Annex 3, but it still doesn't have all the twists and turns of the first.

To sum up, if you've read the first, then go for this one; it won't disappoint. If you've read all but this and the last novel, by all means read this one, you'll still be content. But if you're a looking for a new mystery novelist, go for Last Bus To Woodstock.

Used an earlier edition of this book when I took a self-guided tour in 1997, and bought this newer edition for my trip to L.A. in 2007. Indispensible! Better than a "map of the stars' homes" any day. Thoroughly recommended if you are planning to drive yourself around the various parts of L.A. looking for your particular favorite haunts. Thanks to this book, in 1997 I got to see (and exchange waves with) Jack Lemmon as he drove out of his driveway (no, I wasn't lying in wait. I'd pulled over to double check my location).

Though I had far less time to use it on my 2007 trip, I would have felt naked and unprepared just travelling without it. Another great feature about this book is that the author encourages submissions/corrections/additions to add to future editions, so if you discover the rare incorrect or out-of-date piece of info, he wants you to submit it to him so the next edition will be just that much more accurate.

Used the info in the book to track down the Playboy Mansion in 1997. Had a neat experience at the mansion gates that trip and have pics to prove it. When I drove by it again in 2007 a few hours before I was to attend a party there that evening, I glanced at the book over in the passenger seat of my rental car and gave it a knowing smile.

My copy is autographed. Don't know if that increases its value, but it is a nice touch.

The Ultimate Hollywood Tour Book is full of interesting facts, historical tidbits and interviews with Hollywood natives that provide readers with a realistic view of Hollywood, past and present. As any worthwhile tour guide should, this book lists hundreds of locations of interest to visit in and around the Hollywood area, extending it's reach to surrounding Los Angeles communities that have ties to the entertainment business. However, the tone of Gordon's book is informative, straightforward and friendly, not off-putting or intentionally misleading, as some guide books can be.

Not surprisingly, Gordon's book is even a fun read for those of us born and raised in Hollywood. For me it brought back memories of old haunts, and it evoked nods of approval among friends as we read through many accurate descriptions of favorite locales and pages of sound advice about what to visit and why, as well as what to avoid.

Whether you're a native of the Los Angeles area, a tourist planning just a few days' visit to Hollywood, or a local history buff searching for a fun and interesting book to read, you can't go wrong picking up a copy of William Gordon's Ultimate Hollywood Tour Book.

About 5 years ago I took a summer job giving tours of Hollywood on an old trolley car. One of my most memorable experiences was the day one of the guides for the Beverly Hills tour got sick and I was thrown into the front seat of a tour van and sent on my way to give a tour of the star's homes. It was without a doubt one of the more embarrassing moments of my life as it wasn't my regular gig and I had to make a lot of stuff up because I had no idea whose house was whose and the guy driving the van was as clueless as I was. But if the owner's of the tour company had seen fit to give me this book beforehand I would have known where I was and all those tourists wouldn't have asked for their money back when the tour was over.

This is a not so typical tour guide which provides its reader with a lot of bang for his/her buck. It provides information which is fairly accurate regarding the living (who tend to move quite a bit). The listings provided for death scenes are very accurate (assuming you only die once). Ditto for burial sites (assuming that remains stay put in one place.....unfortunately, that isn't always true as I seem to always be finding out). What is really impressive about the many editions of this book that have been published to date is that the author constantly updates the information in the book, so that it is as accurate as it can be given the odd and fluctuating state of celebrity mindsets (and fortunes).
So if you are willing to assume that some of the information may become outdated, you will probably enjoy this book quite a bit.

There must be 50 Hollywood homes books on the market. If you visit Beverly Hills, a tour-bus or map salesman will gladly take your money. But W. Gordon's remarkably accurate and truthful guide will spell out where the buses point out homes where movie stars never lived. Gordon provides detailed directions and maps to the sites you want to see. And loads of "goodies" and information. He shows you how to get to Arnold's palatial block of homes in Brentwood, and warns that driving there is a $ 500 fine and possible jail time! Wow! He also gives directions to Rudolph Valentino's original 1920's mansion(and much, much more). Forget the B.S. Here it is. When I e-mailed him for an up-date, he gladly provided it for free(see the book). Why waste time driving around freeways?

This book was extremely helpful to me in dealing with a personal complicated grief event. I think it would be a critical resource for teachers and counselors. As our world continues to stuggle with these issues that touch all our lives in some way, it is a resource useful for us all.

Linda Goldman has again written an excellent resource on traumatic grief issues. Her in-depth understanding of traumatized children allows the reader to obtain deeper understanding and techniques for working with children. I think that any professional working with traumatic grief issues and children would highly benefit from this book.

This book is an excellent resource for parents, caregivers, and children dealing with the complex facets of grief. The author speaks from her heart, and obviously understands these issues at a personal level. Her techniques in speaking to children, and the child in each of us, through the use of photos, children's artwork, and creative writing is a wonderful way for the observer/reader to focus on what these pictures mean to the individual. This in turn can lead to an inner dialogue and a unique individual healing process.

This book is very well thought out. It is a very easy and smooth read. There are appropriate pictures and child artwork to help convey messages in the book. This book would be truely helpful to anyone dealing with a suffering child. I highly recommend this book!

While the title of this book is impressive and promisesinformation on working with grieving children, the book itself onlypresents a very superficial view of the process of working withcomplicated grief in children. The author speaks with great compassionand obviously has experience in the area of bereavement, but largetypeface and use of photographs of children predominate the text--- Iwould have preferred more information and less drama, more of theauthor's expertise and advice in lieu of photos. Yes, creativeactivities are mentioned, but no real depth or rationale is providedfor their use in grief work...

In the book The Cloud Chamber by Joyce Maynard there are a lot of mixed feelings in the air. There are the good times that Nate had with his friends and the ones he tells about his Father. When Nate tells the stories of him and his Dad it makes you sad the his Dad would do such a thing when he had a great life and relationship with his kids. The story adds more suspense when Nate tries to think up a plan for seeing his dad, and at the same time try to make the winning science fair project. Things get pretty hectic when his science fair partner and best friend ate not allowed to be anywhere near him.

I have to read this book for A.T. at our school, and I personally think it is boring. I'm more for the real-life books, like Alice, and The Clique.

If you're for action and mystery, this is your book.

If you're for real life, and picture books, this is definetly NOT your book.

Nathan Landry is shocked to find the police at his home on his return from school. The shock heightens as his fathers appears, bloody, from the side of the house. The story unfolds as Nate experiences the many ramifications of his father's attempted suicide. He is ostricized from his small ranching community and doesn't even know what really happened to his father, as he was carted away in an ambulance with no explanation given. It is when Nate realizes the next level of his local science fair will be held in Butte, a neighboring town to where is his father is hospitilized, that Nate realize his hope in finding the truth lies in his science fair project.

His journey begins with Naomi, fellow outcast, and ends with a statling realization. This book will touch the reader is a endearing way that few books do.

Reluctant readers, boys, those will a love of science or anyone who just enjoys a good read, will appreciate this book.

Nate Chance steps off the school bus to find policemen and their dogs crawling all over his family's ranch in Montana. Even scarier and more shocking is when they take his father away, covered in blood. And what makes it worse is that no one will tell him what's going on. Just the day before, Nate had been planning his science fair project and discussing baseball tryouts with his best friend. Now his whole world has fallen apart, with the eye of the storm centered right on his family. Sure, Nate knew his father hadn't been feeling well, especially with yet another financial disaster striking when the storm destroyed their crops. But his father has always been there for him. Now he's gone, and no one will explain why.

Nate eventually figures it out, but not with the help of his mom or his grandparents. The kids at school suddenly refuse to talk to him; even his best friend won't sit with him at lunch. And then at the store, he overhears some women gossiping in the next aisle over. Nate's father had tried to kill himself, and is now in a mental hospital a few hundred miles away.

Nate is desperate for someone to talk to, but the only one willing is his little sister Junie, and she's just as confused as he is. Life attempts to continue as normal with Junie's seventh birthday party (though only one of the many invitees shows up), Nate gets a science fair partner (the most unpopular girl at school), and spring slowly thaws its way out of winter --- but Nate's heart refuses to be warmed. He figures if only he could visit his dad and talk with him that things would be a little better. But his mom refuses to take him. So he concentrates on building the best science fair project ever in hopes of winning, and hence securing a ticket to the state competition located right near his dad's hospital. In the process, he discovers a couple of special friends who he never before had taken the time to notice; they give him a strong shoulder, a willing ear, and a warm heart to lean on.

Joyce Maynard does a superb and amazing job with this sensitive story. Readers will feel the depths of Nate's emotions as he struggles through this impossible time in his life when his family is falling apart. THE CLOUD CHAMBER hooks the reader's interest and beckons for the pages to be turned. This talented author delivers a heart-wrenching tale that everybody would benefit from --- and enjoy --- reading.

--- Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman, author

Nate Chance's life was fine. He has a best friend that did almost everything with him. His father taught him everything he knows (which was quite a lot), but after a freak hailstorm killed off the hay crop that would take the family out of debt, everything changed. Nate's mother became a walking vegetable and Nate's best friend doesn't even act like Nate ever existed. Only sister Junie believes that everything will be better. Nate somehow sees a ray of light in his klutzy science partner, Naomi. If they could win 1st Place, they could see their father in a mental hospital on the way to the state finals. Of course, this would never have happened if his father wouldn't have shot himself. But what if this family falls apart before then? Only time will tell.

The Cloud Chamber was one of the saddest books I've ever read! If you read this book because it sounds like a book full of hopes and dreams-- don't. It is sad in a very layered way. You get sad when the father shoots himself and even sadder when Nate's mother stops caring about life. There's a lot more layers that that. The descriptions and imagery in this book were amazing. I had an internal picture in my mind word for word through the entire book. You find yourself relating to all of the characters through your emotional journey. Towards the middle of the book, I hoped and prayed that the character's lives would turn back to normal. Overall I don't really count this as a book, but a life in itself - it was THAT extraordinary.

Preteen, teen, and young adult book reviews and recommendations.

One of Ms. Olsen's most vital messages is that life's problems are spiritual in nature, not medical. As long as our society looks to "experts" who do not admit the existence of the human spirit and view us as animals and collections of chemicals, the solutions we are offered will continue to bark up the wrong tree. And the concept that some people's brains are "wired differently" denies people their personal sense of responsibility for their own health and happiness. This is particularly cruel and tragic when it is done to children.

This book should be required reading at all medical schools and pharmacy colleges. It should be on the shelves of every university book store, law library, theological seminary, and teaching college. Ms. Olsen has given a wake-up call to the human race, and it's one that we dare not ignore!

Although the author of this book has tried to expose the corruption and malice of the drug industry, I have the feeling she is like a member of
AA who is trying to accomplish the twelve steps by correcting all her mistakes to clear her conscience.
The presentation certainly airs the training of drug reps. and how for power and dollars, they are duped into thinking they are serving physicians and patients.
The author gets into medical explanations regarding the drugs, a field
in which she is not trained and a field of expertise that she should leave to professionals.
The end of the book deals with her spiritual discovery and that is admirable, but I question whether it is properly placed in a book that has tried to courageously stepped forward to inform the public about the corruption of the drug industry and those who support it.

This was a real eye opener on what's happening with the pharmaceutical industry especially with the psychiatric medications. Convinced me I'd never use that stuff and that there are many options that don't require those meds. Great book.

This book is filled with beauty, passion, science, conscience, dedication.
. . and some inspiring poetry. Gwen Olsen has the work ethic that success
in life is made of: get a college degree, get a well paying job, work
hard. She also has the beauty and manners that attracts confidence. After
college she was hired as a drug representative to sell new drugs to
doctors. She won selling awards and was hired by leading drug
companies. But she also has a conscience. She quit her "drug pushing to
doctors" job and soon after, her niece, also a beautiful girl inside and
out, committed suicide while withdrawing from drugs prescribed to her
for depression. Just one of the hundreds of thousands of prescription drug
fatalities each year. The questions needing to be asked are asked
here, and answered. The cure of mental illness is cognitive education.
(The 12 steps cured me of suicidal and homicidal "paranoid schizophrenia."
)This book is a must read for everyone in the medical profession and anyone
who takes or might consider taking prescription drugs. It could save your
life, or the life of someone you love.

Clover Smith-Greene, Author, Escape from Psychiatry, Founder, Welcome
World.org

What an amazing book, what an amazing woman. I had the opportunity not only to read this book but to meet Ms. Olsen. Her book is chock full of examples, citations and proof. Her motivation is beautiful and selfless. Her message is right on. This is excellent reading for anyone who is even considering putting their child on drugs. No one else has the tenacity and willingness to put themselves out their to tell the truth. Kudo's Ms. Olsen. You have made me even more compissionate!

The very language that makes this book ever interesting and twists the twisted into beautiful icing rich deliciousness would make some English Lit. Teachers cringe. I love this book -- its modern analysis of our modern media drenched world . . . I ache for Darren, ugly on the outside, but so chewy and sweet on the inside . . . I can recognize aspects of myself in him. I love the business with the chat rooms -- some thoughts about them that I'd never thought before. Brian has an uncanny, better than nearly anyone ability to see some Truth, point out contradictions, and relish in the irony of life through the worlds he creates. I hope a collection of his short pieces is coming soon. Brian is able to leave out a lot of descriptions, which actually adds to the world of the story. This book is not at all bogged down or over burdened with redundant, superfluous overly descriptive garbage, like Dickens or Faulkner. Very entertaining, thought-provoking book, Brian!

I was turned on to this book by a co-worker who knew that I was a fan of Chuck Palahniuk, Dennis Johnson, and Carlton Mellick the 3rd. He told me that this author, Brian J. Kamerer, wrote in a similar vein of strange fiction, but with a voice all his own. I borrowed a copy of this book from him, and liked it so much I still had to order my own from a local bookstore. It's fast-paced, strange, and unpredictable, but it is never wierd solely for the sake of being wierd. The often absurd plot is held together by very interesting and human characters who keep Dreamy Filthy Suicide from crossing the line between bizarre and just plain stupid. I recommend this for anyone who likes good, creative fiction that has definite re-read value.

So my boy got this book and he was all like, man this 'ish is the dopest! And I was like, pssh, fo real? I didn't believe him. But then, I decide to read it and I was like WHOA! This book is poppin' hot. The one part where that dude was like 'WWAAAA' then the other dude was shooting his glocks 'Blam Blam Blam!' and then I think they were eating pizza, and all of a sudden 'Look out behind you!!' You wanna know what happens next you'll just have to buy it, I ain't gonna ruin my boys ending like that, know what I'm sayin? But for serious, this was like a movie that I could read! - It was that good. BJK (that's what I call him now) is on the rise, and that's on the rilla!

This book reads like a Dennis Johnson or Carlton Mellick the III book. It's strange and new and original. The jokes are funny and frequent and the surreal and fantastical story is quick and fun and leaves you wanting even more. This book is fast paced, hilarious, violent, sexual, totally wild and yet somehow remains touching and innocent all the while. So, if you want something a little different and lot of fun, than I highly suggest you check it out.

The FBI, the Italian Mafia, and various neighborhood gangs, all fighting each other for a chance to "off" a no-named gang of-of-of--children? Like Carlton Mellick's books, this book recognizes the absurd and takes you to its center where you swim in it, revel in it, laugh-lap it up, until the last sentence has been read and reread. As a first time author, Brian shows great skill in demanding your attention, and you have no choice but to submit to the characters thoughts, actions, and speech. A must read for anyone who enjoys bizarro-fiction.

Two teenagers from New Zealand struggle to deal with their friend Jerome's suicide. Katie, an exchange student now in America, and Marco, who's still in New Zealand, exchange a series of letters and emails where they strengthen their friendship and recover from Jerome's death. When Katie tells Marco she's a lesbian, and reveals her true relationship with Jerome, Marco is forced to reevaluate his friendship with both Katie and Jerome, and ultimately he comes to some truths about himself as well. It's a moving portrait of self-discovery, grieving, and the bonds of friendship that's certain to captivate all readers.

Read this one in just a couple of hours, but it certainly was enjoyable! Its message of acceptance, honesty with others and with yourself is appropriate for all, not just "Young Adult" readers. It's a "coming of age" story with a huge "What if...?" that I think probably everyone can relate to. (Don't want to say more!) I recommend this book.

This short novella explores the reactions of two friends (Marco and Kate) to the apparent suicide of another friend (Jerome). Through an exchange of letters and e-mails, the truth of their respective relationship with the deceased (Jerome of the title) becomes clear.

Slowly, Marco and Kate reveal their own personalities anf this proves to be a very shocking for Marco.

The book is very well put together, the story is moving and thought provoking. It's not a long read; I managed it in under an hour, but it IS a deep read.

You know you are in the company of a great writer when the very first page of a book wrenches your heart. With such an auspicious start, William Taylor begins his moving account of teenage Marco coming to terms with the loss of his life-long friend, Jerome, in an apparent hunting accident. He writes to Jerome's former 'girlfriend' Kate and their correspondence comprises most of this little book. He deals with his great loss, his loneliness, drinking, and the realization that Kate is gay. Then Marco must deal with Jerome's true nature and, finally, his feelings for his lost friend.

There are many heart-rending moments in the unfolding of his wonderful tale, and Mr. Taylor leaves us with hope for these wonderful kids, with their gaining of healing knowledge, and humanity.

When Jerome dies, his two best friends, Marco and Katie, try to commiserate each other. To do so they have to fall back on the Internet, since one of them is in the US and the other in NZ. As the email messages fly back and forth half way around the world, the two unlikely friends find out more and more about each other and about themselves.

If Jerome hadn't died, however, Marco might never have found a way to come to terms with himself and honor his friend in the process. In this, the book reflects real life. The list is long of people who have had to die before their friends and family came to grow into reason. And still, parents turns their sons onto the streets, or one-time pals harrass and abuse former friends.

Still, this book is does not sink into self-indulgence. The dialogue carried on between the two survivors leads them out of sorrow into the light of self-awareness. For this reason, it is a valuable resource for any young person. It shows a way to reach understanding without throwing in the towel. It can prepare young people and adults to face the unimaginable together.

Jerome can speak to us all.

A truly great book. NYPD is an amazing agency and after reading this book, you get to see just how amazing they really are. A true eye opening book.

This book is a story of the bombing that almost was, and the heroics of the NYPD officers who, in literally a few hours, staged a raid that saved probably hundreds of lives.

Thanks to an Egyptian immigrant, two officers were alerted to a plot that was to be carried out the very next morning. These two officers could have dismissed the immigrants story as the ramblings of a drunk, but didn't. Thanks to them and the other brave officers, the plot was thwarted hours before it was to be executed.

It was interesting to read of the inner workings of the NYPD Emergency Services Unit (ESU). As a cop myself, my hat is off to those brave officers who risk their lives daily in the performance of their duties.

What really disgusted me about the story was the aftermath in which the NYPD "brass" acted in such a ridiculously childish way in denying the officers who participated in the raid the full honors due to them--even sending one on an assignment to the Dominican Republic so he'd have to miss a national award ceremony in Washington! While this type of behaviour may be limited to a few individuals, unfortunately those individuals are at the top of the pecking order, and make the whole administration look bad.

And yes, this is an excellent example of why we should crack down on if not eliminate illegal immigration and deport all the illegals/criminals.

Katz writes a story about his friend and his friend's colleagues who bravely stormed the apartment of two suicide bombers in Brooklyn the night before the bombers planned to self-destruct and in the process murder innumerable innocent commuters on a New York subway. The event took place after the successfully thwarted terrorist attack in lower Manhattan and several years before 9/11. That Katz has decided to tell the general public about this incident is admirable, however, a better writer would have related this story in a much more concise, objective and gripping manner. Katz does not allow the facts to speak for themselves but insists on adding his critical and at times cynical opinion. He also uses his book to vent about his friend's superiors and parts of the police administration. A better book would have tried to present the facts as objectively as possible and allowed the reader to form his or her own opinion.
For example: there is no doubt that the general public is indebted to the officers who selflessly and with immense courage prevented the terrorist bombers from realizing their heinous plan. The fact that these courageous men were subsequently only given one day off after their close encounter with death is deplorable. We do not need Katz to tell us this.
Another shortcoming: on the one hand Katz criticizes the administration and politicians for sharing the names of the brave officers with the media and thus drawing the wrath of the Jihad to these men. On the other hand, Katz makes no attempts to prevent further publication of the officers' names. The author could have covered up their identities with false names in this book.

I get the impression that Katz stretches the meager amount of material that was made available to him to the utmost. A better writer would have delivered a more comprehensive story. We know little of the evolution of the terrorists once they entered the United States. Where is the link with Jihad? The story leaves the reader with the impression that these two nutcases operated independently. Once the more fanatic of the two terrorists is taken to hospital, we are left to wonder what he told authorities subsequent to his interview with the intelligence officer. Katz' story is disjointed. He seems to tell us what he knows, even if not directly relevant, and leaves us guessing about the rest.

In summary, while this story needed to be told it could have been told more subtlety, with more finesse, and with fewer gaps.

Although the plot was broken by a legal immigrant seeking the American dream, and the police responded with proper degree of speed and understanding, the real lesson learned here is that the problem was created by turning a blind eye towards illegal immigration.

The U.S. is a haven for immigrants and races from around the world, but by no means does this make illegal immigration okay - it is not.

Doing the right thing means respecting our existing laws, respecting the people who live here and came here legally, and respect for the people that enforce our laws. Support legislation to enforce our immigation policies... we may not be so lucky next time.

This book was very good. It depicts the step by step process of how the middle east (mainly palestine and israel) is peaceless. It explains the entire process that the NYPD's Emergency Service Unit, or ESU, took to thwart the terrorist attack that would have occurred in Brooklyn. They portrayed the bravery of the NYPD and all Police officers within the United States. Not only does the ESU do there job well, but they do it with professionalism. This is a Must Read for anyone who would like to join any elite police units such as SWAT or even the NYPD's ESU.

Stein's emotionally charged tale of survival and recovery is accessible and touching to any reader. No reason to limit its readership to the "young adult" category; anyone can identify with the emotional journey of the young woman who is the main character because the book astutely brings the reader along on the journey.

the novel itself was great. I got an inexpensive soft cover which should have been fine. When it arrived I saw that it was an editor's proof not meant to be sold. The only problem I think was that one of the character's names changes abruptly and confusingly for a couple of pages. It makes that part of the book difficult especially b/c that characters name is important in understanding a pun. The book is excellent, and appropriate for teens and young adults. We are adding it to our school library.

A Beautifully written book. I recommend it fully. Lovely images of Israel. A love story, as well as a story of hope and forgiveness. A young woman's plight in finding out who she really is and all the people she met along the way.

this book is amazing and thoughtful. I cried through much of it, because the way in which the main character Maya grows, all young adults can relate to. This is a book about learning from tradegy and finding love

I recently finished reading Light Years, a magnificantly-written story of an Israeli girl who moves to the US after losing her boyfriend in a suicide bombing who must find her ability to love and be close to others after losing her trust in the future. The story portrays vivid images and is written in a manner that is very smooth and ongoing, so it is rare to have to reread a sentence in order to interpret it. I highly recommend this book!

This was a good book of self discovery. The not-so-good thing about it was it was kind of confusing and I found myself skimming through some of the pages it just didn't pull me in as other books have. I liked when her grandmother talked about the war and her mother. But all in all it's probably not worth buying but more of a library type book.

I did enjoy reading Missing Girls a lot. Carrie reminded me of my best friend & Mona of me. just by the way they act & their family. I was interrested in lucid dreaming just like Carrie. I don't think it ever happened to me...not that i recall. I liked hearin Mutti's stories of the war. What made me happy, yet sad was that Carrie does look like her mom, when she was younger. Carrie is very surprised to also find out her mom, Liesl, was a vey depressed girl at one time, just like Carrie.She does find her place...even though her & Mona are "missing girlz" at least they found each other. Just like I found my bud, T.With each other we can ease our pains & help each other out. Like Mona had said, Carrie wants some1 to come in the pit with her, like Mona. That's how i feel with her. This book was good & it really reminded me of "real" life. If you are interrested in dreams or even the war ou'll like reading Missing Girls. It's good book for any girl or even a guy. Do enjoy!

The title craftily compares 13 year old Carrie to the real 'missing girls' of the book, a background story of young girls who run from unsatisfying home lives, sometimes to be found dead, sometimes remaining missing. Carrie has symbolically run from her own unsatisfying life, by withdrawing, overeating, and choosing not to relate to her grandmother, who she is living with. Her grandmother, a survivor of the haulocaust, has her own demons.

When Carrie becomes friends with Mona, Carrie experiences a false awakening as she tries to fit into what she perceives as the perfect American family, which is a contrast to her immigrant grandmother who can't seem to get the American way of life. But she learns that appearances can be deceiving, and Mona and Carrie begin a journey to understand their genuine selves. Carrie faces up to fears, comes to terms with her mother's death (four years earlier), and turns a subtle and mostly silent love for her grandmother into a wonderful relationship they both need.

There are morals to the story, but the book is decidedly devoid of the sickly sweetness and neat tie-ups that are characteristic of literature for young adults. I highly recommend this book for teenagers and adults alike.

This book was ok, not great. When the main charecter (Carrie) moves in with her Grandmother, she faces a new school, and new friends. When she meets Mona, a young girl her age, they slowly become friends. As Carrie learns some unbeleivable facts about mothers, including her dead one, she finds out many things about life.

I just finished this book after it caught my eye @ the library. @ first I didn't think it was gonna be good but I picked it up, it gripped me and I never put it down until it was finished an hour later! I recomend this to all people and it was very well written!